Sentimental Value sees Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård – Dune Part Two) as a film director, who’s recently made a documentary, but now wants to direct a film, and wants daughter Nora (Renate Reinsve – A Different Man) to take the lead, despite having not being in her life for years.
Naturally, she’s pensive about it, as she clearly feels she’s better off without him in her life, and is getting on with being a stage actress.
If she doesn’t want to, then young actress Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning – Predator Badlands) is looking favourite, after her and Gustav’s paths cross along the way, especially since she’s a big fan of his.
Elsewhere, Nora and her sister are seen clearing out their late mother’s house, observing that a lot of the stuff has sentimental value, but isn’t worth much, which reminds me of my own mother’s house after she died. There was a lot of things that were everything SHE would need, but are not really a lot of use to everyone else.
The only slightly interesting part was for scenes with Gustav as a younger man, which looks like they’ve merged in footage of him from older films, rather than de-aged him. The cast lists a young man in his role, Knut Roertveit, but they’ve clearly put Stellan’s face on top of his.
The film has had a lot of critical plaudits, but it’s mostly people just standing around talking about not very much, which doesn’t make for an engaging watch. Soap operas is where you should reserve plots abvout the ups and downs of family life. No doubt those critics blah-blahed about how it opens by focusing on the house’s massive crack in the wall, and how nothing was done about it, so it just sits there… I’d get that fixed!
2026 is already giving us an early Christmas turkey!
NOTE: There are no mid- nor post-credits scenes.
Sentimental Value is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 133 minutes
Release date: January 1st 2026
Studio: MUBI
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (35mm, Super 35)
Rating: 1/10
Director: Joachim Trier
Producer: Maria Ekerhovd
Screenplay: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Music: Hania Rani
Cast:
Nora Borg: Renate Reinsve
Gustav Borg: Stellan Skarsgård
Agnes Borg Pettersen: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas
Rachel Kemp: Elle Fanning
Jakob: Anders Danielsen Lie
Michael: Jesper Christensen
Ingrid Berger: Lena Endre
Sam: Cory Michael Smith
Nicky: Catherine Cohen
Even: Andreas Stoltenberg Granerud
Erik: Øyvind Hesjedal Loven
Peter: Lars Väringer
Sissel Borg: Marianne Vassbotn Klasson
Karin Borg: Vilde Søyland
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.